Miners take on the Kingstons

Bill Estrada worked as an underground coal miner at the Kingston-owned Co-Op mine in Huntington for nearly a year before he was fired last Sept. 22 for negligence.

At least that's the explanation Estrada says he was given after mine executives learned that he and 73 others were attempting to align themselves with the United Mine Workers of America — an international union of coal miners, coal technicians, truck drivers, health board employees and teachers — in an attempt to combat unsafe working conditions in the mine. The move, Estrada said, ultimately cost all 74 of them their jobs.

"They started framing people.

They used things like (claims of negligence) to target people," Estrada said.

More than a year later, the battle continues for the miners, who brought their cause to another Kingston-owned business Saturday in an attempt to draw attention to their accusations against the mine.

The miners and about 20 of their supporters blasted the Kingston family's business practices during a demonstration in front of A-1 Disposal, 624 N. 300 West.

The waste disposal company serves more than 5,000 customers throughout the Salt Lake Valley.

"We want people to know who they're doing business with," Utah Jobs With Justice spokesman George Neckel said.

Neckel's organization, along with the Utah chapter of the National Organization for Women, Code Pink and UMWA representatives were among the 30 or so pickets backing the miners' attempts to take on the Kingston family, which owns 106 businesses across the state.

According to Neckel, the Kingstons operate their businesses based strictly on the bottom line, with no regard for the safety or well-being of their employees.

"They're exploiting people, plain and simple. In my opinion, this looks very much like organized crime," he said.

Though employees from A-1 Disposal wouldn't comment on the claims of exploitation, family member John Daniel Kingston said Saturday's protest was a personal attack and nothing more.

"This protest has nothing to do with A-1 Disposal. They're just persecuting the Kingston family. There is no substance to any of this," he said. He also said A-1's 30-person work force is not unionized, nor has it ever asked to join one.